


While You Were Asleep

by Chiharu



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-12 01:05:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7914418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiharu/pseuds/Chiharu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remember when Nijimura woke up in an alternate universe where he and Akashi were dating and freaked out?</p>
            </blockquote>





	While You Were Asleep

Nijimura wakes up with a throbbing headache and a terrible case of cotton mouth. All he can remember is yelling at Aomine during basketball practice, throwing a bucket at a green-looking Kuroko, and the dull pain of getting hit in the head with a basketball. "Ouch."

Someone touches his face lightly. A familiar voice asks, "Are you okay?" Akashi.

"Fine," Nijimura lies through his teeth and tries to sit up. Thankfully, Akashi pushes him back down, which saves Nijimura from the embarrassment of wobbling. His vision is still swimming when he becomes aware of everyone crowding around him. Then Nijimura really wants to get up.

Akashi's voice is strict and laced with concern. "You are not fine, Shuuzou."

This is new. Akashi has never strayed from calling him anything short of "Nijimura-san," so Nijimura can't help but add: "That's Senpai to you."

"Kinky," Aomine comments from somewhere behind Nijimura. He yelps when someone slaps him on the shoulder. Momoi, probably. 

"Want to say that again?" Nijimura barks at Aomine, who now has the decency to look ashamed.

Murasakibara appears somewhere in Nijimura's peripheral vision. "Ne, Midochin didn't die when he walked in on Akachin and Nijimura-buchou sucking faces last week, so I doubt he'll kill you now."

"What?" Nijimura gapes.

Akashi just gives Murasakibara a warning look, but this is apparently not enough to deter the first strings from their delusions.

"I don't want to talk about it," Midorima says stiffly and disappears, just in time for Haizaki to make a comment about how Midorima probably enjoys watching. 

"What?" Nijimura says again, only to be ignored, again.

The bucket is still in Kuroko's hands as he adds, "Not everyone is an exhibitionist like Haizaki-kun. I, for one, do never enjoy walking in on Nijimura-buchou and Akashi-kun."

"WHAT?!"

This time, everyone turns to Nijimura. 

The expression on Akashi's face is half concerned, half amused. "Are you feeling well enough to stand up, Shuuzou?"

"Why are you calling me that?" Is what comes out of Nijimura's mouth. He's slightly annoyed to find that, even when frowning, Akashi still looks cute. 

Momoi scribbles something onto her clipboard. "Senpai, you hit your head. I'm going to call Nomura-sensei here from the infirmary." She’s gone before anyone can stop her. 

"You told Akashi to call you that for days after you started, you know." Aomine makes a dismissive waving gesture with his hands. "Don't you remember?"

"What does this mean?" Nijimura tries to mimic Aomine's motion and fails. "What are you blabbing about?" He can feel the tension in Akashi's body as Akashi's hands curl just above Nijimura's heart. 

Kuroko chooses to take pity on him then. "Dating, Senpai. When you started dating Akashi-kun."

"WHAT??!!""

 

 

 

 

Nomura-sensei performs a series of tests on Nijimura, who sits in stunned silence. Eventually, she turns to Akashi. "He seems to have recovered from any dizziness, disorientation, and nausea. There's no sensitivity to lights, but I can't rule out a concussion. Perhaps you should take Nijimura-kun to the hospital."

"I'm fine," Nijimura repeats for the nth time on autopilot, and is reward with matching looks of disbelief from Akashi and Nomura-sensei. "Can I speak with Akashi? Eh, privately?"

Nomura-sensei looks unimpressed, but she excuses herself from the infirmary nonetheless and closes the door shut. The sun is already setting through the window, painting the room in a warm, orange hue. 

"I don't think you're fine," Akashi says. He's always been quiet, but this time his voice just sounds foreign and tired. 

Instinctively, Nijimura reaches for Akashi's shoulder and gives it a small squeeze. This does the trick, and Akashi relaxes a little. "Can we just talk? That'll probably help."

Akashi's gaze is soft, and Nijimura resists the urge to brush stray crimson locks out of his eyes. "Of course."

"How long have we been dating?"

"Five months." Thorough as always, Akashi elaborates before Nijimura asks for more. "I confessed to you after practice on Valentine’s Day and gave you chocolate. I was sure that you'd reject me, but you promised to think on it. Then, on white day, you gave me basketball shaped cookies and asked me to be your boyfriend." The smile on his face is small but genuine. "The cookies weren't very round, but I enjoyed eating them."

"Damn, I'm smooth."

"Do you really not remember?" Akashi asks, his voice concerningly quiet again.

"That sounds like something I would do," Nijimura offers as a memory returns to him. He remembers being called aside by Akashi on Valentine’s Day, but Nijimura had to pick up his sister from day care and made up an excuse. He remembers Akashi looking torn between concern and something else, but Akashi had returned to his normally indifferent self the next day, and Nijimura hadn't pressed. 

Now, he regrets not staying. Still, this brings more questions than answers, and Akashi answers all of them patiently. Nijimura learns that, despite the events on Valentine’s Day and their newfound relationship status, not much else has changed in his life. He still has two younger siblings, his father is still ill, and his mother still works too much. 

Nijimura doesn't know if this is an alternate reality or a dream. He doesn't know whether he would still give the same answer to Akashi, and he doesn't know what went through his mind in that interim month between accepting Akashi's confession and returning his feelings. All Nijimura knows is that Akashi has always been too much—too bright, too competent, and too eye-catching. Right now, Akashi just seems too uncertain and too young.

When Akashi looks away, Nijimura grabs Akashi's wrist and pulls it towards him. "Five months. That's a long time."

"Yes," Akashi sighs. 

"How long have you liked me?"

For some reason, this makes Akashi smile. "Always.”

Nijimura snorts, but Akashi just looks more pleased. "No way. I don't believe you."

"I've been infatuated with you since the first day of basketball try outs, when you appeared in the gym in your school uniform with the first two buttons of your shirt undone. Then, during our scrimmage, you scored ten consecutive points against me. Momoi, ah, called it a done deal."

"Have I asked you that before?"

"Yes."

"And what did I say then?"

Akashi slips his wrist out of Nijimura's grasp until they're holding hands. "Roughly the same thing. You didn't believe me at first. I hope you believe me now."

"I do," Nijimura says and means it. "Eh, are you happy with me?"

Surprise flashes across Akashi's face. "Of course."

"Even though I'm broke, busy all the time, need to take care of my siblings, and have a sick dad?" These are all things that Nijimura has considered as he debated resigning his captaincy. 

"I know firsthand that money doesn't solve everything. Being busy is fine as long as you have time for us, and I enjoy spending time with your siblings." Akashi pauses, then sets his free hand over their currently linked ones. "Also, I could never fault you for being in pain. I , myself, have not learned how to stop grieving." 

Nijimura thinks about Akashi's mother and frowns. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault," Akashi says gently. "Your father's illness is not your fault, either. You told me to stop closing myself from the world when I feel helpless. I wish you would do the same."

"I want to," Nijimura replies honestly. "Sometimes I feel like I can't depend on anyone else, like I have to-"

"Carry all the weight. I know." Akashi usually seems so small and cold, yet his hands radiate heat from where they sit atop of Nijimura's. "You told me once that you depended on me. I hope you know that the reverse is also true. You can depend on me, your family ,and your team. Our team."

It sounds effortless coming from Akashi, yet Nijimura feels light and unreal. It seems that, in this world, Akashi understands him more than he understands himself. It's something Nijimura never knew he wanted. 

When Nijimura's mouth starts working again, he says, "Thank you."

Nomura-sensei chooses then to knock on the door, and Akashi doesn't retract his hands before asking her to come him. Thankfully, Nomura-sensei simply tells them that she needs to lock up the infirmary. She hands them a print-out on concussion after-care on their way out. "I hope you feel better, Nijimura-kun."

"I do," Nijimura says dumbly. "I feel a lot better." He doesn't complain when Akashi's driver pulls up to the school gates with their bags in the backseat. It's not until the car starts moving that Nijimura remembers his burning question. "Do people walk in on us a lot?"

This gets a chuckle out of Akashi. "A few times, maybe, but the team likes to exaggerate." 

The rest of the ride is spent in comfortable silence until they arrive at Nijimura's house. Akashi steps out first and holds the door open for Nijimura until they're looking at each other. 

"If your headache returns, let me know. I will have my driver take you to the hospital," Akashi says seriously.

"You really care about me, huh?" 

"More than you are willing to believe.”

Nijimura wants to say, hey, I care about you too, but anything coming out of his mouth at this state feels so inadequate and insufficient. He raises his hand to touch Akashi, but is interrupted by Juuzou's voicing calling for him and a small eight year old throwing all of his weight onto his side. Nijimura loses his balance, knocks into the side of the car with his hip, and yelps.

His mind registers a flash of pain, and everything goes dark.

 

 

 

 

Nijimura wakes up with a throbbing headache and a terrible case of cotton mouth. All he can remember is the dull pain of getting hit in the head with a basketball, the infirmary, and the gentleness of Akashi's smile. "Ouch."

Someone touches his arm lightly. A familiar voice asks, "Are you okay?" 

Akashi, Nijimura thinks immediately. 

"I'm fine," Nijimura insists and tries to sit up. Thankfully, Akashi pushes him back down.

Akashi's voice is strict and laced with concern. "You are not fine, Nijimura-san."

This makes Nijimura pause. His head still hurts, but he's lucid enough to recognize the gym and everyone crowded around him. Kuroko is holding a bucket and Momoi is writing something on her clipboard. A million thoughts fly through Nijimua's head. He looks at Akashi and asks, "Are we dating?"

All he gets in response is stunned silence until Haizaki gathers the audacity to whistle. 

"Senpai, you've hurt your head. Let me go grab Nomura-sensei." Momoi is gone before anyone can stop her, but that's not what Nijimura is worried about.

"Akashi," Nijimura tries again, recognizing the faint splash of color on his vice captain's cheeks. "What did you want to tell me on Valentine’s Day?"

For once, Akashi seems baffled. His eyes dart from his hands to Nijimura's shoes. "I don't think this is the right time or place for-"

"What flavor was the chocolate?" Nijimura asks, hoping for something. Anything.

Eventually, Akashi looks at him, his gaze sharp and his mouth pressed into a thin line. "Belgian dark chocolate. Please don't mock me."

"No, I'm-" Nijimura reaches for Akashi's arm. He's grateful when Akashi doesn't pull away. "Sorry. Sorry I didn't stay to listen to you. Sorry that things got so fucked up when they could've been better. If I had known, I would've made you ugly shaped basketball cookies."

The confusion is evident on Akashi's face, but he seems to have some clue where Nijimura is going with this. "Perhaps you should go to the hospital," Akashi says, but Nijimura knows now that his concern means so much more. 

"I want to be someone you can rely on," Nijimura says, apropos to nothing. This does the trick, as Akashi relaxes enough for Nijimura to pull him into a half hug.

"You know we're still here, right?" Aomine asks, sounding stunned.

"You've endured worse," Nijimura tsks. "Now go back to practice."

Later, when everyone has gotten over the weird episode and Nomura-sensei has advises Nijimura to go to the hospital, they sit with linked hands in the back of Akashi's car. "I don't understand-" Akashi begins to say, but evidently runs out of words. 

Nijimura thinks about the words Akashi had murmured forever ago, in another life time. "I care about you more than you are willing to believe."

"I know the feeling." Akashi says and smiles.


End file.
